Gang linked to manslaughter pair scared out of Reading by police

A London gang who came to Reading to rob drunk men have been scared off by a police operation.

Ide Faysal, 19, and Abi Shidane, 18, were jailed after causing the death of 31-year-old Samuel O'Brien, who died after falling from the second floor of a block of flats in Southampton Street, Reading, Berkshire, after being mugged.

The two were part of a gang that travelled into Reading late at night from Hayes in West London to terrorise victims.

The gang, which had around 10 members, would often threaten people with knives, before stealing cards, phones and cash.

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Following the sentencing of Faysal and Shidane on Monday, February 12, getreading contacted Thames Valley Police to ask whether the remainder of the gang were still operating in the town.

The force responded to say that after Mr O'Brien's death, police launched Operation Estonia, which saw an increase in officers patrolling the town late at night.

The aim was to seek out known members of the gang, who were stopped and checked as soon as they were spotted, often when they had just got off the train.

Following Shidane and Faysal being charged, the remaining members of the gang were not seen in Reading again.

Samuel O'Brien died after being robbed. Credit: Thames Valley Police

Detective Inspector Dave Turton, of Force CID at Reading police station, said: "Members of the gang came to Reading solely to commit robberies on vulnerable individuals who had been out socialising and enjoying the night-time economy in Reading.

"They used extreme violence to rob people of their phones, cash and bank cards.”

"The gang members were stop-checked whenever they were seen, at times intercepting them at the railway station.

"Police officers used this opportunity to disrupt their offending and build on the intelligence picture on the various members.